Standard Chartered’s ‘Go Forward’ soccer camp in Wanathamulla

Standard Chartered, together with the Football Federation of Sri Lanka and Thaarunyata Hetak, held the second soccer camp for inner city youth, under its ‘Go Forward’ program on Sunday, 11 November 2012, at the M.H. Mohommed Grounds, Wanathamulla. 

‘Go Forward’ is an initiative the bank has embarked on in partnership with Liverpool Football Club (LFC) to discover soccer talent and bring awareness of financial literacy to the inner city communities, in order to provide a platform from which these youth can build a better tomorrow. 

The camp was attended by Member of 

Parliament Namal Rajapaksa, who provided a tangible boost to the 175 plus young boys who participated by interacting with them. Colin Pawley, Head of Origination and Client Coverage, Standard Chartered said: “There is so much talent in the inner cities and the enthusiasm of the boys is so encouraging. This was a great opportunity for them to meet a young leader of this nation and showcase their abilities.”

Standard Chartered’s ‘Go Forward’ together with LFC in Sri Lanka will aim to reach out to thousands of Colombo’s inner city youth, between the ages of eight to 15 within one year, by conducting similar camps in six inner city venues. 

The initiative’s objectives are to popularise the game of football and identify potential talent, and to empower and educate the youth on financial literacy via the soccer camps conducted in various parts of the island. At this soccer camp, 33 youth who were selected to progress to the next round at the previous camp held in Maligawatte, were handed letters of confirmation.

 The ‘Go Forward’ initiative’s ultimate aim is to identify and select a team representing the top talent – the Sri Lanka Go Forward Team who will thereafter play matches against schools and club teams.

Standard Chartered has been the sponsor of Liverpool Football Club since July 2010. Since becoming sponsors, the bank has teamed up with LFC, to raise awareness and funds for avoidable blindness and visual impairment, joining forces on everything from global soccer clinics to half time activities, involving visually impaired young people.